Nationally recognized woodturner Judy Ditmer shares her techniques for making beautiful, fanciful jewelry on the wood lathe. Beginning with the turning of tiny "bowls" by hand from a variety of wood, she then cuts and sands them into various shapes, producing graceful compound curved edges and surfaces. They are finished and assembled with findings, wires, and beads of silver, glass, or stone. The result is beautiful, unique jewelry. Judy takes the turner step-by-step through the process of creating this wearable art form. Each step is illustrated with a color photograph and captioned in a...

From the bronze age to the present, molten metal has been poured into molds to create an infinite variety of forms and to serve a variety of functions. This marriage of form and function is what has made figurative cast iron so popular among collectors. This beautiful new book will give the reader insight into the creativity of the designers of cast iron which allowed the mundane objects of life to become interesting works of art and fancy. From doorstops to doorknockers, still banks to lawn sprinklers, bottle openers to bookends, their functionally was hidden in the forms of animals,...

During the early years of the nation, the eagle was adopted as the symbol of America. From that time to this it has been a favorite subject of carvers. It has adorned buildings, signs, furniture, and boats. It has carried banners of E. Pluribus Unum and Happy New Year. And it is cherished still. In this new book Paul White takes the carver through the process of carving a large traditional bald eagle. Beginning with the gluing of the boards and sculpting and ending with a helpful description of gold leafing, Paul explains each step in detail. For those who wish to get right to the carving he...

In this full color, beautiful new work, Judy Ditmer shares her extensive knowledge of bowl turning with the novice turner. Beginning with the preparation and seasoning of the bowl blank, Judy takes the turner step-by-step through the finished product. Along the way she covers the proper use of tools, design considerations, and safety considerations for the turner. The techniques she shares will have an immediate impact on the readers understanding and practice of woodturning. While addressed particularly to those who are new to turning, Judy's years of experience come through and will be...

Handhewn bowls are one of the oldest crafts known to humanity, but one which has been almost lost. This new book will help reduce the trend and revive interest by introducing the carver and woodworker to exciting new possibilities. Using only hand tools, the bowl adze, a bowl shave and a carver's hook, Rip and Tammi lead the carver or sculptor through the steps of this satisfying art. They begin with a blank and conclude with an oil finish process that makes the bowls beautiful and perfectly safe for use with food. Each step is illustrated in color, with a complete description of design and...

Among the most popular of Tom Wolfe's carving books is Tom Wolfe Carves Dragons. From the day it came off the presses Tom has received letters asking for a Wizard book to go with it. "What good is a dragon without a Wizard?" one reader asked. Well, here it is These fanciful figures let the imagination run wild. You can make them friendly or sinister, young or old, comic or deadly serious. Tom gives patterns and step-by-step instructions illustrated in full color. The gallery has a coven of Wizards, in both full-figure and bust forms. But that is only the starting point. From there a change...

Germany has long been thought of as the Mecca of wood-carving. The wood-carving tradition goes back hundreds of years, and the carving schools continue to produce wonderful craftspeople. For those who can't make the trip to Germany, Georg Keilhofer is the next best thing. Trained in German carving techniques, he shares them with students in his studio, and now in this new book. Here are the basic skills of relief carving. Step-by-step he takes the reader through tool selection, under-standing wood, and carving techniques are presented in a clear and concise way. The result is a project of...

The most ambitious carving Tom has ever presented in a book, this may also be the most charming. Tom leads the carver step-by-step through the process of constructing and carving a "kid's size" rocking horse. This is the perfect project for a Christmas present that will be cherished generation after generation. And even though it is ambitious, the instructions and illustrations will enable even the novice carver to complete a work of which they can be proud. The book covers every step from cutting the lumber through carving, assembling, and painting. Measured drawings are included as is a...

Though she has not knowingly seen Angels, Kelley Stadelman has received their help in times of crisis. She has felt their presence. These joyful little soldiers of God seem to have a childlike presence. Their personalities are uninhibited. They go about their duties energetically. Yet they are wise, committed to their tasks and reverent to their boss. The whimsy of angels is captured in the designs of this book. Kelley leads the carver step-by-step through the angel carving project, beginning with the blank and finishing with a beautifully painted heavenly being. With concise descriptions and...

From the end of the Civil War until the explosive popularity of the cigarette in the early twentieth century. the cigar was king. For the pleasure and convience of cigar smokers a wide variety of smoking accessories were manufactured, including cigar cutters and lighters. The cutters range from simple vest pocket models to ingenious mechanical contraptions that would occupy a prominent place on the counter of the local tobacconist. In between are beautifully sculpted Vienna bronze and wooden desk models. In many cases these are combined with lighters, to offer the smoker full-service...